6 HISD schools rate most improved

Changes in curriculum and leadership cited for improvement

In 2006, Reagan High School was where no Texas campus wanted to be — on the state’s dreaded “academically unacceptable” list.

Less than half the students were passing the state’s minimum-skills exams in math and science, and only 8 percent of upperclassmen were taking Advanced Placement tests for college credit.

Today, though, Reagan has something to boast about. The Houston Independent School District campus is among the 10 most-improved public high schools in the area, according to an analysis by the nonprofit Children at Risk.

Five other HISD high schools landed on the most-improved list, along with one campus each in the Aldine, Hempstead, Montgomery and Fort Bend school districts.

New blood added

Karen Garza, HISD’s chief academic officer, attributed much of the success to the schools’ principals — several of them were tapped within the last few years to take over the troubled campuses.

“This is a result,” Garza said, “of the leadership at those campuses — their focus on improving teaching and learning for all students, having high expectations for all students, and supporting their teachers in getting that work done.”

Three years ago, when Connie Berger, the former principal of the top-rated Lyons Elementary School, took over Reagan, even the building was in disarray. The Heights campus was under construction and was, Berger recalled, “like a war zone.”

Now, the building is “pretty,” as Berger calls it — the campus was featured in this year’s Heights Association Spring Home and Garden Tour — and performance also is up. The percentage of upperclassmen taking AP exams, for example, has more than doubled.

“It’s about having confidence in our kids,” said Ber-ger, a Reagan alumna. Still, Reagan has a long way to go. It falls in the bottom 20 percent of the Children at Risk ranking of area high schools.

‘Personally involved’

At HISD’s Madison High School, another low-ranking campus that landed on the most-improved list, Principal Aubrey Todd said he has encouraged teachers to work together more and pushed for hands-on activities in math and science. The passing rate on the state-mandated science exam jumped to 60 percent from 44 percent in 2007. But math scores remain low, with 49 percent passing.

“In order to make those subjects come alive for students,” Todd said, “it’s important they are more personally involved in the lessons. Labs provide that experience.”

The other HISD campuses highlighted for their improvement are the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Davis, Lamar and the High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice.

Bobby Morris, principal of the lone high school in rural Montgomery ISD, attributed his school’s academic growth in part to a focus on bettering the instruction in regular, or non-advanced, classes. Thanks to that push, he said, the school’s average SAT score of 1040 tops the national average.

“When I got here, there was a perception that there was a gap between our regular classes and our advanced classes,” he said. “With every teacher that I have hired, I’ve tried to close that gap.”

The recent push at Carver Magnet High School in Aldine ISD has centered on preparing students for college, said Principal Tom Colwell. Since 2005, the percentage of upperclassmen taking AP exams has grown from 10 percent to 25 percent, state data show.

“I want every senior to have a scholarship opportunity and to pursue post-secondary education,” said Colwell, whose school specializes in engineering and the arts.